Half to frank e



- (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. A. LANE. ELECTRIC WINDING CLOCK.

No. 417,928. Paizented Dec. 24, 1889. i

PETERS, Phato-Lfllw n her. Wavhin um. 0 6

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet .2.

F. A. LANE. ELBGTRIG WINDING GLOGK.

No. 417,928. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

N. PETERS, Plmwliflmgnphar. Wishingon. a. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet a.

F. A. LANE. BLBUTRIG WINDING GLOGK. No. 417,928. Patented Dec. 24, 1889.

K v} ;Zm@ a {W u. PETERS. Phclo-Umogmpher, Walhinglnn. n.c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' FREDERIC A. LANE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TOFRANK E. MORGAN, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-WINDING CLOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,928, dated December24, 1889.

Application filed September 9, 1889. Serial No. 323,378. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC A. LANE, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented new Improvements inElectric-Winding Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following, whentaken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters ofreference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, and which-said drawings constitute part of this specification,and represent, in-

Figure 1, a rear view of a clock-movement embodying the invention; Fig.2, a side view of the same; Fig. 3, a detached view showing therevolving contact in engagement with the stationary contact; Fig. 4, aface view of the two contacts S and W, with the stationary post i; Fig.5, a detached View illustrating the return movement of the contact WV;Figs.

6 and 7, modifications.

This invention relates to a device for automatically winding clocks byelectricity, the object being to employ a light spring as the motivepower of the clock and to maintain that spring under substantially aconstant tension; and the invention consists in combining with themovement of aclocka springin connection with a pawl adapted to engagethe said drum in one direction of movement of said armature-lever, andso as to impart winding rotation to said drum, but escape therefrom onthe return movement of said armature-lever, the said armature-leveralso,

in connection with the said second movable contact, and whereby in saidwinding movement the said second movable contact is withdrawn from itsstationary contact to break the circuit at that point while the circuitis closed at the said first-mentioned contact, and as more fullyhereinafter described.

A represents the frame of the clock-movement.

B represents the center arbor. As represented, the winding mechanism isapplied upon the rear. of the clock-movement. The center arbor Btherefore projects through the rear plate of the frame. On the saidcenter arbor is a spring-drum C. This drum is of common construction.WVithin it is a coiled spring, one end of the spring made fast to thedrum and the other end of the spring made fast to the arbor, and so thatthe rotation of the drum in one direction will wind the spring and thereaction of the spring will turn the arbor in the same direction, and asusual in this class of spring-drums. The spring and its connection withthe drum and arbor are not shown, the construction being too well knownto reqnire illustration. The spring being applied to the center arbormay be a very light spring. The drum, however, maybe applied to thesecond or another arbor in the same manner, communicating with thecentral arbor by the usual gearing.

In the illustration Fig. 2 the usual train of gearing between the centerarbor and the escapementavheel is shown, D representing the verge. Thismechanism may, however, be varied as desired, or any of the knownclockmovement mechanisms may be substituted therefor.

On the drum, or made as a part of it, is a toothed ratchet-wheel E. Frepresents a stationary spring-pawl working into said ratchet-wheel E,and so as to catch and hold the drum as it is wound.

G is a vertical slide supported in suitable bearings, so as to receivean up -and-down reciprocating movement, as indicated in broken lines,Fig. 1. This slide carries a spring-pawl H, which works into the teeth 5of the ratchet-wheel E, so as to engage the wheel in one direction, butescape in the opposite direction, and so that as the slide G isdepressed, as indicated in broken lines, Fig.

1, the pawl H will impart a corresponding ro- I00 tation to the wheel Eand the drum 0 in connection therewith, which movement of the wheel anddrum will be caught and held by the pawl F. This movement of the wheeland drum is in the direction to wind the spring. Repeated movements ofthe slide G will therefore impart corresponding repeated windingmovement to the spring-drum. On one of the arbors of the clock-movement,here represented as the center arbor B, a metal arm I is made fast, andso as to revolve therewith. The outer end of this arm carries anon-metallic finger J, the forward side of which is beveled, so as toproduce a cam shape. On the back of the non-metallic finger J is ametallic shoulder K, this shoulder being a portion of the arm I.

L represents a spring-metal contact insulated from the clock-frame,preferably by securing it to an insulating-block M, the block secured tothe frame, as shown. The said contact projects inward, so that its freeend stands in the path of the finger J, and so that as the arm Irevolves withthe shaft to which it is attached the non-metallic finger Jwill strike the free end of the contact L and operate thereon asaca1n,asindicated in broken lines, Fig. 1, and so as to raise thecontact L;

but so soon as the finger has passed beyond.

the end of the contact the contact will spring down and rest upon themetallic shoulder K,

as represented in Fig. 3, and thus make metallic contact between thecontact L and the arm I during the time that the said Contact rests uponthe shoulder K.

From the contact L a wire N runs to one member of a battery 0.

P represents a magnet, from which a wire Q runs to the other member ofthe battery 0. The other wire from the magnet runs to a contact S,insulated from the clock-movement, here represented as attached to aninsulatingblock T. This contact S is in the form of a flat metal spring.(See Fig. 2.)

The magnets are preferably arranged as seen in Fig. 2, so that thearmature-lever a may extend from front to rear, hung at the front-upon apivot b, and preferably the pawl-carrying slide G is hung to the innerarm of the armature-lever, and so that vibration of the armature-leverwill be communicated to the slide G, as represented in broken lines,Fig. 2. A two-armed lever 61 e is hung upon an axis f, so that its onearm (Z will stand below the free end of the armaturelever. To the otherarm 6 of the said lever a spring V is attached, which extends downwardtoward the contact S and carries at its end a contact IV. The lever (Z 6is provided with a spring g, the tendency of which is to hold the armclup against the free end of the armature-lever and to turn the arm 6downward to hold the contact \V in engagement with the contact S; butwhen the circuit is closed through the magnet the movement of thearmature-lever in thus closing will impart a vibratory movement to thelever (Z 6,

so as to raise the contact 1V from the contact S, as represented inbroken lines, Fig. 1. The

circuit is closed only while the shoulder or contact K is in engagementwith the contact L. Consequently the circuit is normally open, and,while so open, the contact WV normally rests in engagement with thecontact S, as represented in Fig. 1, it being understood that thecontacts S and W and the contacts K and L are in the same circuit.

Supposing the spring of the drum 0 to be wound sufficient to affordpower to drive the clock-movement and the arm I in the positionrepresented in Fig. 1, in due time the arm I will have revolved so faras to bring the non-metallic finger J into engagement with the contactL, which, operating thereon as a cam,

will cause it to rise, as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 1, until thenon-metallic finger J has passed the end of the contact L. Then thecontact L will instantly drop and come into engagement with the shoulderK, as seen in Fig. 3.

This closes the circuit and brings the armature' to its poles, and insuch closing the armaturelever will impart to the pawl H thebefore-described movement, as indicated in broken lines,Fig. 1., andsuch movement of the armature-lever will turn the lever d 6 into theposi- 5 tion indicated in broken lines,Fig. 1, and take the contact 1Vaway from the contact S, which breaks the circuit at that point, asrepresented in broken lines, Fig. 1. The arm I revolves slowly, so thatmetallic contact is made between the contact L and the should r K for aconsiderable length of time. As 30011 as the circuit is broken by thecontact W leaving the contact S the armature is released from its magnetand rises under the action of a spring Y, (which is adjusted by theusual adjuster Z,) turning the pawl H for a new engagement of theratchetwheel, at the same time permitting the lever (1 e to return bythe action of its spring no g, and so as to again bring the contact \Vinto engagement with the contact S, thereby again closing the circuitand causing a second movement of the armature-lever and of the lever (Zc to take the contact \V from en- 1 r5 gagement with the contact S,again breaking the circuit at that point, and, so continuing, thecontacts 1V and S separating and closing under each action of thearmature-lever, and

so long as the contact shall be maintained between the contact L and theshoulder K. Each movement of the armature thus imparted produces thewinding movement of the spring; but if at any time under such successiveoperations of the armature-lever the 12 5 spring shall have been woundto a power equaling that of the power of the electric circuit the saidpower of the spring-drum will resist the closing of the circuit.Consequently,

when such power shall have been acquired :30

such winding movement may be performed depends upon the time which thecircuit is closed through the contact 'L, and this may be increased ordiminished by a correspondingly increasing or diminishing extent of faceof the contact S, but in a position above the position of the contact WVwhen in en-,

' gagement with the contact S, and as seen in Figs. 1 and 4. The springV tends to bear the contact WV upon the contact S when it is in the downposition, and so that as the contact WV begins to rise under the actionof the armature-lever it will pass up between the post 1} and thecontact S, the post 2' serving to press and hold the contact WV intoengagement with the contact S during this upward movement; but so soonas the contact W has risen above the post 11 then the spring V operatesto throw the contact WV away from the contact S and to a position inrear of the post 'i, and as represented in broken lines, Fig. 1. Then asthe contact W returns it will strike the back of the post i and passdown over that post,-as represented in Fig. 5, thus being held away fromthe contact S until the contact W shall have passed to a position belowthe post d. Then the contact WV, under the action of the spring V, willfiy toward and into engagement with the contact S, as seen in Fig. 1.The result of this combination of the stationary post i with thecontacts W and S is that the circuit remains closed until the windingmovement has been completed, and the circuit is not again closed at thispoint until the winding-pawl has returned to substantially its normalposition, and thus a full and complete action of the winding mechanismis insured.

While I prefer to attach the winding-pawl H to the armature-lever, itmay be attached to the same lever which carries the contact WV, asrepresented in Fig. 6, the armature-lever acting directly upon the arm(1 of the lever so carrying the pawl.

Instead of employing a slide, as G, to carry the pawl, the levercarrying the contact WV may be hung directly to the same shaft on whichthe winding-drum is arranged, as rep resented in Fig. 7, and so that thelever thus hung will swing in a plane at right angles to the axis of thewinding-drum, the pawl being hung directly to one arm of the said lever,so as to operate in the teeth of the ratchet on the spring-drum, thesame as in the first illustration. In this case the armature-leveroperates upon one arm of the said winding-lever, and

the other arm carries the contact WV, substantially the same as in thefirst illustration.

Instead of making the metallic contact K as a shoulder upon an arm andupon the back of the non-metallic finger J, it may be made as a portionof the periphery of a wheel on one of the arbors, as represented in Fig.-7, and so that contact will be made with the contact L during the timethe metallic portion of the periphery of the said wheel K is inengagement therewith, this metallic portion of the periphery extendinginto the arbor, so as to make metallic connection therefrom with theframe of the movement." The particular construction of this modification(represented in Fig. 7) is embodied in another application, Serial No.311,988.

The winding-drum is best applied to th center arbor, as I haverepresented and described; but it may be applied to either arbor of theclock.

The non-metallic finger J may be omitted, the metal end of the arm asone contact directly engaging the stationary contact; but I prefer toemploy the non-metallic finger, as by its use the contact is instantlymade instead of gradually made, as it would he were the non-metallicfinger omitted.

It will be understood that either of the great variety of knownsubstitutes for a toothed ratchet and pawl working therein may besubstituted for the springdrum, pawl, and ratchet, and that by the termspawl and ratchet as used herein such well known equivalents are to beunderstood as included.

In illustrating the invention I have shown it as working with an opencircuit. It will be understood that if a closed circuit is to be usedthe usual reversal in the operations will be necessary.

From the foregoing it will be understood that Ido not limit theinvention to the precise mechanism described for operating thewinding-pawl, or to specific mechanism for closing the circuit throughthe clock-movement at a predetermined time and for a predeterminedlength of time combined with a stationary and movable contact in thesame circuit, which said movable contact is operated through the windingmechanism to break the circuit as the winding mechanism advances and toagain close the circuit upon the return of the said winding mechanism,and whereby a succession of winding operations will be produced duringthe said predetermined time in which the circuit is closed through thefirst-mentioned contacts; but I do not wish to be understood asclaiming, broadly, aclock-movement having a springdrum arranged upon oneof its arbors with a ratchet-wheel in connection therewith and having alever carrying a pawl to engage said ratchet, said lever adapted to beoperated by the automatic breaking orclosing of an electric circuit, assuch, I am aware, is not new.

I claim-.-

1. In a self-winding clock mechanism, the

combination of a spring-drum arranged upon one of the arbors, a magnetprovided with an armature-lever, a pawl adapted to engage saidspring-drum in one direction of revolution to'wind the spring, but freetherefrom.

in the opposite direction, mechanism between said pawl and saidarmature-lever whereby said pawl will receive its winding movement fromsaid lever, an electric circuit through said magnet, a pair of contactsin said circuit, one of said contacts revolving under the action of theclock-movement, the other stationary, but in the path of said revolvingcontact, whereby said contacts will be engaged duringa predeterminedportion of said revolution, a second pair of contacts in .the samecircuit, one of said contacts stationary, the other movable, mechanism,substantially such as described, between the said armature-lever andsaid second movable contact, substantially as specified, and whereby inthe closing movement of the said armature-lever, produced under theclosing of the circuit by the first-mentioned contacts, said secondcontacts will be separated to break the circuit, and on such breaking ofthe circuit the opening movement of the armature-lever brings the saidsecond contacts again together to close the circuit, such breaking andclosing of the circuit by the said second contacts continuing during thetime in which the first-mentioned contacts are engaged.

2. In a clock-move1nent,tl1e combination of a spring-drum arranged uponone of the arbors of the said movement, an electric contact revolvingwith one of the arbors of the said movement, a stationary contactinsulated from the movement, but in the path of the said revolvingcontact, and adapted to engage said revolving contact during apredetermined portion of each revolution thereof, and so as to close thecircuit during such engagement, a magnet in circuit with said contacts,a second stationary contact, a vibrating lever carrying a movablecontact adapted to engage said second stationary contact, said secondstationary contact being in the same circuit with the magnet and thefirst-1nentioned contacts, the armature-lever of the said magnetarranged to impart swinging movement to said contact-lever as thearmature-lever is drawn to and from its poles, and a Vertical slidecarrying a pawl adapted to e11- gage the spring-drum, the said slide inconnection with said armature-lever, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. A self-winding clock mechanism consisting of a spring-drum upon oneof the arbors of the movement, a magnet, a pawl adapted to engage saidspring-drum, mechanism between the armature-lever of said magnet andsaid pawl, whereby the movement of the armature-lever imparts windingmovement to said pawl, a stationary contact and a revolving contactwhich derives its revolution from the clock-movement, and adapted toengage said stationary contact during a predetermined portion of itsrevolution, the said contacts in circuit with said magnet, a secondstationary contact and corresponding movable contact also in the samecircuit with the said first-mentioned contacts and magnet, mechanismbetween the said second movable contact and the armaturelever, the saidsecond contacts being normally closed, but adapted to be opened when thearmature-lever is drawn to its poles by the engagement of thefirst-mentioned contacts, the said revolving contact provided with anon-metallic cam-finger J and constructed with a metallic shoulder K inrear of said non-metallic finger, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

FREDERIO A. LANE. Witnesses:

LILLIAN D. KELSEY, FRED O. EARLE.

